Pool cleaning apparatus



Jan. 3, 19.67

Filed Nov. 9, 1964 R. ORTEGA 3,295,540

POOL CLEANING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 rroPA/EYJ.

Jan. 3, 1967 R. ORTEGA 3,295,540

POOL vCLEUAIIING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 144m EZ[f90 INI/Euro2.

, Ail/@W/M 1% rrae/ve YJ- Jan. 3, 1967 R. oRTEGA 3,295,540

POOL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H0552?"rxr-Gn Iv VEN roe.

rroPA/EYJ.

United States Patent O 3,295,540 POOL CLEANING APPARATUS Robert Grtega,Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Anthony Pools, Inc., South Gate,Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,677 6Claims. (Cl. 134-167) This invention relates generally to apparatus foruse Ain enclosed bodies of water such as swimming pools for cleaning theinner surfaces of pool walls and bottom, and employing one or moreflexible hoses adapted to sinuously move along the inner surfaces inrandom mtion, dislodging dirt by the jetting action of water dischargingfrom the hose. More particularly the invention describes a floatingleader assembly for such apparatus including a novel valve constructionby which to move about the perimeter of a pool, drawing behind itself awater supply conduit from which one or more flexible hoses depend.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided afloating leader unit connected by a flexible conduit to a source ofwater under pressure, the leader unit including a pipe assemblyreceiving water from the source through the exible conduit anddistributing such water to discharge orifices formed in the unit. Theorifices are directed substantially horizontally,

-and at least two of them are angularly spaced. The pipe assemblyterminates forwardly in an enlarged hollow body or head wherein thosetwo orifices are formed. One of such orifices, referred to herein as thepropulsion orifice, is directed generally rearwardly of the head,desirably at a slight horizontal angle from the axis of the pipe in oneangular direction. The other orifice, referred to herein as the turningorifice, is directed transversely of the axis of the pipe, in theopposite horizontal an-gular direction from such axis. Within the headthere is provided resiliently biased valve means for controlling fiow ofwater to the propulsion and turning orifices. In its normal position,the valve closes the path of water fiow to the turning orifice, leavingopen the path of water flow to. the propulsion orifice. The valve isactuatable to a turning .position in which it closes the path of waterfiow to the propulsion orifice and opens such path to the turningorifice. The leader unit includes valve actuating means abuttableagainst an obstruction in its path of movement, such means being adaptedwhen abutted to move the valve from its normal position to its turningposition, permitting water flow to the turning orifice. The unit mayinclude additional orifices, particularly one for urging the unitoutwardly toward the pool periphery, and a flexible hose for cleaningthe side wall by jettin-g discharge of water depends from the unit.Another fiexible hose may depend from the flexible water supply conduitgenerally intermediate the length of the conduit, primarily to clean thefloor of the V'pool by the jetting discharge of water from its randomlymoving lower end.

The abuttable means may desirably take the form of a horizontallydisposed rotatable disk which tracks lightly along the pool side wallsomewhat below the leader unit head and valve assembly, the disk sensingthe presence of an obstruction to continued straight line movement ofthe unit, such as an intersecting pool Wall at a corner. When suchobstruction is senmd, the disk actuates the valve to move the unitsharply away from the wall toward the middle of the pool, whereuponnormal motion is resumed.

- Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention 3,295,540Patented Jan. 3, 1967 ice to provide novel improvements in pool cleaningapparatus. Additional objects are to provide such apparatus including afloating leader unit for tracking about the pool periphery; to providesuch a unit including horizontally disposed angularly spaced orificesfor discharge of water under pressure and valve means for controllingwater flow to said orifices; to provide means for controlling such valveactuatable by abutment against an obstruction to the normal straighttracking path of the leader unit; and for other objects and purposes aswill be understood from a study of the following description of apreferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a swimming pool in which the cleaner of thepresent invention is mounted, the cleaner being shown in one position insolid lines and in another position in dotted outline, and t-he lea-derunit thereof being shown in dotted outline in a third position at themoment of commencing a change of direction.

FIG. 2 is a vertical lsectional View taken on line II--II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectionalized elevational view taken on lineIII-III of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3, showingthe leader valve in, respectively, propulsion and turning positions.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view lookingdown on the arrows VI-VI of FIG. 4,with a portion of the leader assembly pipe shown in dotted outline forconvenience of orientation.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view looking d-own on arrows VII-VII of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale taken on arrowsVIII-VIII of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the arrows IX-IXand X-X respectively of FIG. 8.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a conventionalswimming pool is defined by a tile coping indicated generally at 16, thepool including end lwalls 18 and 20 and side walls 22 and 24.

Water for propulsion and operation of the cleaning apparatus inaccordance with the present invention is supplied through pipe 30, whichmay be connected to a pump indicated generally at 32, or the equipmentmay include conventional filtration and heating apparatus forrecirculating and treating water from the pool in known manner, thedetails of which form no part of the present invention. =Pipe 30.terminates inwardly in a quick disconnect fitting 31, connected to adownturned elbow 34 and a horizontally disposed swivel connection 36.The pipe 30 and disconnect fitting 31 are desirably located at orslightly below the water level 38 in the pool, for convenience ofremoval of the present cleaner when not in use.

A exible conduit indicated generally at 40 is connected at its one endto the swivel fitting 36 and at its other end to a cross fitting 42supported by float means indicated generally at 44. Water suppliedthrough conduit 40 and cross fitting 42 continues in conduit 46, whichsupplies water to a floating leader unit indicated generally at 50 andseen in detail in FIG. 8. Thus, conduit 46 is connected through a swivelfitting 52 to the downwardly extending branch 54 of a cross fittingindicated generally at 56. From the fitting 56, a rearwardly extendingbranch 58 is connected to a rear pipe 60, which in turn terminatesrearwardly in a horizontal arm 62 of a fitting indicated generally at64. The latter fitting includes a downwardly extending arm 66 to whichis connected (see FIG. 9) the upper end of a flexible wall cleaning hoseindicated generally at 70. The rear fitting 64 and the flexible hosev70are supported by fioat means of any suitable type, such as the sphericalfloat 72, connected to the fitting 64.

Means are desirably provided for maintaining the rear portion of theunit close to the wall of the pool as the cleaner in accordance with thepresent invention moves around the periphery of the pool. Thus in FIG, 9an opening 74 is formed through the side wall of the fitting 64 and isdirected generally horizontally and transverse to the axis of the pipe60, toward the central portion of the pool. It will accordingly beunderstood that the reactive force of water jetting outwardly of thefitting 64 through the opening 74 continuously urges the rear part ofthe leader assembly toward the pool wall into its position as seen inthe drawings.

With further reference to FIG. 8, the leader unit 50 may desirablyinclude means for continuously spraying a small jet of waterY ontherwall of-the tile coping during movement of the cleaner of thepresent invention. Thus a pipe indicated generally at 80 extendsupwardly from an upwardly directed branch 82 of fitting 56, and the pipeterminates upwardly in a plug 84 having formed therein a passageway 86extending first upwardly and then horizontally, terminating in anorifice 88 from which a small amount of water exits, as indicated by'thearrows in FIG. l0, toV clean the wall of the coping tile 16 irn- Yrnediately above the Water level 38 in the pool.

With reference again to FIG. 8, the leader unitl there shown includes aforwardly extending pipe 90 connected at its rear end to a forwardlyprojecting branch 92 of fitting 56, the front end of pipe 90 beingconnected to branch 94 of a fitting indicated generally at 96. V A float98 is desirably provided, similar in construction and function to float72 previously described,'for supporting the front end of the leaderunit, and is here shown connected to the fitting 96. The forwardlyprojecting arm 100 of the latter fitting is connected through a smallpipe section 102 to a vertically oriented hollow head or valve bodyindicated generally at 104, whose construction will be understood byreference to the detailed showing of FIG. 3 and its accompanyingsectional views.

Thus the head 104 may comprise a T-fitting, with its Y centralhorizontally extending branch 106 connected to pipesection 102. Theinterior of head 104 constitutes a Valve chamber for controlling waterflow through one of two orifices, a propulsion orifice and a turningorifice. As best seen in FIG. 4, a tubular adapter member indicatedgenerally at 110 is threadedly received .in the lower branch 112 ofvalve head 104 and includes at-its upperV end an annular rim 114providing an upwardly directed annular valve seat 116. Similarly, at theupper end of head 104, a tubular fitting indicated generally at 120 isthreadedly received in the upwardly extending branch 122 of the head,and the fitting 120 is provided at its lower end with a downwardlydirected annular valve seat 124.

A valve closure member indicated generally at 130 within the valve headis desirably in the form of a bobbin, having an enlarged upper head 132for seating against the seat 124 anda lower annular surfaceV 134 andseating against the kannular seat 116. As indicated in the drawing, allof the four valve seats may desirably be frustoconical in contour.Resilient means are provided for biasing the bobbin'closure member 130upwardly as seen in FIG. 4, that is into closing or sealing relationwith the upper valve seat 124, leaving the lower seat 116 open wherebywater may pass from pipe section 102 downwardly as indicated by thearrows in FIG. 4 into the interior of adapter member 110. In the presentillustrative embodiment of the invention, the resilient means include acoil spring 136, bearing at its upper end on the enlarged head 132 ofthe bobbin and atits lower end being seated upon the upper face ofadapter 110, outwardly of annular rim 114 and valve seat 116.

Means are provided for moving the valve closure member 130 from itsposition of FIG. 4 to its position of FIG. 5, whereby the lower seat 116is closed and the upper seat 124 is open, permitting water to flow asindicated by the arrows in VFIG. 5 from pipe section 102 upwardlythrough the tubular fitting 120. In the present form of the invention,such valve actuating means include a plunger rod indicated generally at140 extending through a central axial channel 142 formed in bobbin 130and fixed at its upper end relative to the bobbin by suitable means,here illnstratively shown as including a snap fastening ring 144received in an undercut groove in plunger '140, and bearing against theupper face of the bobbin closure member 130 through one or more washersor spacing shims 146. At its lower end, plunger rod 140` extends througha centrally apertured wall 150, closing the bottom of the tubularadapter 110 and terminates` downwardly in an enlarged head 152 which maybe generally hemispherical in contour as shown. Y

Means are provided for actuating the plunger 140,

and consequently bobbin 130 fixed thereto, `from theA normal position ofthe parts as seen in FIG. 4 to the turning position of the parts as seenin FIG. 5.V In the,

present form of the invention, such actuating means in-l clude adownwardly extending, rockable actuator arm indicated generally at 160and including in the present form an upper member 162 and a' tubularlower member or sleeve 164 in telescoping relation, adjustable as to foverallV height as by collar 166 provided with a set screw 168. Theupper end of the member 162 is provided with a centrally aperturedclosure cap indicated generally at` 170, the enlarged head 152 of theplunger 140 being re-` t ceived in the upper end of the member 162 andbearing upwardly `against cap 170, desirably through a spacing washer171.

Guide tracking means are carried at the lower end of actuator arm160including in the present form of theY invention an `enlarged diskindicated generally at 180 number` of cut-out openings 186 therein tofurther de-y crease its weight.

Movement of the leader unit 50 results fromthe reac.

tive force of water passing outwardly through certain jets in the leaderunit in accordance with the invention. As seen in FIG. 4, water passingdownwardly through the annular space between plunger 140 and the bore ofadapt-.

er 110 passes outwardly through propulsion orifice 190 formed inthe sidewall of the adapter. As best seen in FIG, 6, propulsion orifice 190 isdirected generally rear-V wardly ofthe leader unit, desirably slightlyinclined to the axis of the pipe section 102 and thus to thelongitudinal axis of the leader unit as a whole. It will thus beunderstood that the principal component of the reactive force of waterpassingoutwardly of orifice 190 will be in the forward direction, Whilea small component of the reactive force is directed transversely of theaxis of the leader assembly, to gently urge the front end of theassembly into contact with the pool Wall.

As best seen in FIG. 7, the turning orifice 194 is formed Y in the sidewall of a cap indicated generally at 200 thread- Vedly connected totubular fitting and, when the bobbin valve is actuated to its positionof FIG. 5, water jets from turning orifice 194 in the directionindicated by the arrows in FIG. 7. As seen in plan, orifice 194 isdirected generally transversely of the axis of pipe section 102in theangular direction opposite to that of the small angular inclination oforifice relative to the pipe section axis. Moreover, orifice 19.4 ispreferably directed at least slightly forwardly of the perpendicular tothe pipe section axis, so that the reactive force of water jettingtherefrom not only moves the front end of the leader runit away from thepool Wall, but also tends to move the unit rearwardly, whereby todisengage the leader unit and more particularly disk 180 from any nicheor cul-de-sac which might exist adjacent the pool side wall.

It will now be understood that leader unit 50 moves about the poolperiphery generally clockwise as seen in FIG. 1, and fiexible hose 70dangling from the rear end of the unit serves to clean the side wall andadjacent floor of the pool as its lower end moves about in randomfashion by reason of water jetting therefrom. For a typical installationat least one additional fiexible hose is used for insuring that themajor central area of the pool floor is similarly cleaned. Thus in thepresent embodiment of the invention a hose indicated generally at 210 isconnected at its upper end to fitting 42 and receives water therefrom,hose 210 being sufficiently long that its lower end ranges in randommovement over virtually the entire pool fioor and cleans the same by jetdischarge of water from the lower end. The drag imposed on conduit 46 byfloat 44 tends to cause that fioat to follow a path spaced several feetinwardly from the pool periphery, further insuring that hose 210 reachesall parts of the pool oor. For a typical pool which may be from 15 to 20feet in width and from 20 to 40 feet in length, hose 210 may be about 18feet long, and the wall cleaning hose 70 may be about half that length.lt will be obvious that another fiexible hose might be provided alongthe supply conduit if desired.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a pool cleaner easilymounted in a pool and equally easily removed therefrom, particularlysince the apparatus principally includes flexible conduits and hoses,avoiding the need of awkward handling of long sections of rigid tubing,as in certain pool cleaners heretofore proposed. The leader unit 50itself weighs only a few pounds, and its overall length may be no morethan two or three feet, so the complete apparatus may be convenientlystored in a space of modest size when not in use.

Modifications and changes from the illustrative form of the inventionhereinabove shown and described which do not depart from the spirit ofthe invention are intended to be embraced within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A swimming pool cleaner comprising:

a fioating leader unit including a longitudinally extending pipe havingfront and rear ends and float means for supporting the unit in the waterof a pool;

a flexible conduit connected through a horizontal swivel at its one endto said pipe at a point spaced forwardly from said pipe rear end and atits other end to a source of water under pressure within the poolperiphery and adjacent a wall thereof;

a hollow body fixed to the front end of said pipe and receiving watertherefrom and having provided therein a propulsion orifice for jetdischarge of water generally rearwardly of the unit but at an angleslightly inclined to the axis of the pipe in one horizontal angulardirection and a turning orifice for jet discharge of water transverselyof the pipe axis in the opposite horizontal angular direction;

valve means in said body normally closing the path of water fiow to beturning orifice and actuatable to open said path and simultaneously toclose the path of water flow to the propulsion orifice;

means carried by the body for actuating the Valve upon striking anobstruction as the leader unit moves through the water in a directiongenerally axially of the pipe;

an orifice formed in said pipe rear end for jet discharge of watersubstantially perpendicular to the pipe axis in said one horizontalangular direction;

and a fiexible hose connected at its upper end to said pipe andreceiving water therefrom, the other end of the flexible hose providinga random-moving jet discharge of water for cleaning the inner surfacesof the pool.

2. The invention as stated in claim 1 including a fioat for supportingthe conduit intermediate its ends and a second flexible hose connectedat its upper end to the conduit adjacent said float intermediate theends of the conduit and receiving water from the conduit, the lower endof the second hose being permitted random movement resulting fromjetting discharge of water therefrom and thereby cleaning surfacestofthe pool during such movement.

3. The invention as stated in claim 1 wherein said actuating meansincludes an elongated member extending generally downwardly from thebody and a horizontally disposed disk carried by the lower end of themember.

4. The invention as stated in claim 1 wherein said unit includes avertical pipe extending above water level in the pool from saidlongitudinally extending pipe and in fluid communication therewith andprovided with an orifice adjacent its upper end for jet discharge ofwater toward the pool side wall.

5. A swimming pool cleaner comprising:

a fioating leader unit adapted to move about the periphery of a pool ina forward direction, including a hollow body;

a fiexible conduit connected at one end to said hollow body and at itsother end to a source of water under pressure;

said body being provided with a propulsion orifice for discharge ofwater generally rearwardly, a turning orifice for discharge of watergenerally laterally of the forward direction, and a third orificedirected in the opposite lateral direction;

valve means in the body normally closing the path of water flow to theturning orifice and actuatable to open said path and simultaneously toclose the path of water flow to the propulsion orifice;

means for actuating said valve upon striking an obstruction to forwardmovement of the unit including an elongated member extending generallydownwardly from said body and a horizontally disposed disk carried bythe lower end of the member, the forward edge of the disk extendingforwardly of said body;

and a flexible hose connected at its upper end to said unit andreceiving water therefrom for jetting discharge of water from its lowerend in random movement in the pool water.

6. A swimming pool cleaner comprising:

a floating leader unit including a longitudinally extending pipe havingfront and rear ends and float means for -supporting the unit in thewater of a pool;

a flexible conduit connected at its one end to said pipe and at itsother end to a source of Water under pressure;

' a hollow body fixed to the front end of said pipe and receiving watertherefrom and having provided therein a propulsion orifice for jetdischarge of water generally rearwardly of the unit but at an angleslightly inclined to the axis of the pipe in one horizontal angulardirection and a turning orifice for jet discharge of water transverselyof the pipe axis in the opposite horizontal angular direction;

valve means in said body normally closing the path of water fiow to theturning orifice and actuatable to open said path and simultaneously toclose the path of water ow to the propulsion orifice;

means carried by the body for actuating the valve upon striking anobstruction as the leader unit moves through the water in a directiongenerally axially of the pipe, including an elongated member extendinggenerally downwardly from the body and a horizontally disposed diskcarried by the lower end of the member;

and a exible hose connected at its upper end to said pipe and receivingwater therefrom, the other end of the flexible hose providing arandom-moving jet discharge Vof Water for cleaning the inner surfacesofthe pool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS .8 Ross et al.4-172 Pansini 15-1.7 Anthony 134-167 Winston et a1 134-167 X CHARLES A.WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

R. L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner.

5. A SWIMMING POOL CLEANER COMPRISING: A FLOATING LEADER UNIT ADAPTED TOMOVE ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF A POOL IN A FORWARD DIRECTION, INCLUDING AHOLLOW BODY; A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID HOLLOW BODYAND AT ITS OTHER END TO A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE; SAID BODYBEING PROVIDED WITH A PROPULSION ORIFICE FOR DISCHARGE OF WATERGENERALLY REARWARDLY, A TURNING ORIFICE FOR DISCHARGE OF WATER GENERALLYLATERALLY OF THE FORWARD DIRECTION, AND A THIRD ORIFICE DIRECTED IN THEOPPOSITE LATERAL DIRECTION; VALVE MEANS IN THE BODY NORMALLY CLOSING THEPATH OF WATER FLOW TO THE TURNING ORIFICE AND ACTUATABLE TO OPEN SAIDPATH AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO CLOSE THE PATH OF WATER FLOW TO THEPROPULSION ORIFICE; MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE UPON STRIKING ANOBSTRUCTION TO FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE UNIT INCLUDING AN ELONGATEDMEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BODY AND A HORIZONTALLYDISPOSED DISK CARRIED BY THE LOWER END OF THE MEMBER, THE FORWARD EDGEOF THE DISK EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF SAID BODY; A FLEXIBLE HOSE CONNECTEDAT ITS UPPER END TO SAID UNIT AND RECEIVING WATER THEREFROM FOR JETTINGDISCHARGE OF WATER FROM ITS LOWER END IN RANDOM MOVEMENT IN THE POOLWATER.